Volume 1 Issue 3

Welcome to our first issue

by Laurie Berg - Master Gardener

The lazy days of summer have arrived. Those rainy days that made spring seem more like winter have left us and the more characteristic hot valley days have finally taken their place. The good news is that the garden is making up for lost time and really looking lush. Everything that hasn?t bloomed be-fore is probably booming right now and some of us have started to harvest tomatoes and zucchini, the rewards of that plating after the last frost. That can mean long hours keeping ahead of the weeds and the new growth, tending to the deadheading of spent blooms and cultivating the vegetable garden; fertiliz-ing and keeping the pests at bay. The amazing thing is we just don?t seem to mind.For these long full days of summer, we have gathered a collection of timely articles to help with sea-sonal concerns. In this issue of our newsletter we have an article on the tomato hornworm, an exotic looking but destructive garden pest. Have you ever wondered about the strange growths on your oak tree or the jumping galls that can bounce around on the ground underneath them? One of our farm advi-sors has the answers on these small beneficial wasps. Planning a cool season garden is something to be thinking about now, so we will be giving you a timeline and some information to that end. Also, we have included an insightful review of the writings of various authors on urban farming, a current trend trying to restore priority of food production. These authors provide a glimpse of what might be achieved in small spaces. Many of you may have heard the name of Luther Burbank but might be hard pressed to say much about him. A book detailing his life and achievements is discussed in this issue. And for all that garden produce we have included a recipe for V-8 juice and the ever popular and often necessary zucchini bread.If gardening is a subject dear to your heart, then you may want to consider joining the ranks of your tribe. We will again be offering Master Gardener Training in San Joaquin County starting in February. Come join a group of other committed individuals who enjoy participating in a program that benefits our community and environment. Applications are now being acceptedWith all that?s happening in your garden right now it?s actually not quite the lazy days of summer after all. Not for a gardener. Yes, a book and a tall glass of iced tea gazing out at the leafy green landscape sounds good……just gotta get that one last weed!

Growing Cool Season Vegetables

July 4th can be a very hot holiday, but it is also time to think beyond a cold beer to cold season garden-ing. July 4th is a good seed start-ing date for cool season Brassicas: broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and brussel sprouts for winter harvest. These are all cultivars of one spe-cies, Brassica oleracea and reveal human cleverness at plant selection and breeding. They do best in moist, rich soil. I use compost as a seed starter medium in wooden flats. Compost allows for good air circulation to the roots, good water retention and provides the nutrients to keep plants growing well until transplant time (Cont. pg. 3)